Until We Meet Again

33

"How was your run?" I ask Austin, watching him shut the door behind him.

He nods his head, avoiding my gaze. I try to search his face for anything that would tell me what's going on here. It was just an hour ago we were kissing and him telling me he would wait, but now it's like this awkward tension between us.

I slide off my newly cleaned bed, yes I finally got the motivation to clean off my bed, and take a seat on his. I know it made no sense to go from sitting on my bed to sitting on his but at least it got his attention.

He looks at me with a weird look but doesn't say anything. What in the world is going on here? Did I do something wrong?

I watch as he takes his shirt off, I probably look creepy watching him like this but man does the guy have some abs. Without noticing it, I find myself sliding off the bed and moving closer to Austin.

He's caught by surprise and so am I when I kiss him on the lips once he turns around towards me. My hands go up to the side of his face, I have no idea why I'm kissing him when I just told him I couldn't be with him. Maybe I'm bipolar, which kind of explains my mood swings, but then again I can't be bipolar.

He's breathing heavily when I move away and I can tell that he's wanting to say something but can't get it out.

"I'm sorry," is all I can say.

He opens his mouth to say something back when the door behind him opens and yep you guessed it, Ethan comes walking in.

"What the heck!" Austin let's out, his voice full of shock.

I just look at Ethan, completely surprised to see him.

"How did you get in here?"

Ethan looks at me, Alex and then down at the doorknob. "It was unlocked. You should really learn to keep it locked."

I hold back a laugh at his smartass remark. That was about the only thing the new Ethan kept from the old one.

"How did you know I was here?" I ask him, my voice coming out shaky. Why, why did my voice have to shake, now I sound weak.

He meets my eyes and I try hard not to look away.

"I followed your roommate here."

My eyes go wide, "so you're a stalker now."

He shakes his head. "No, I just happened to see him on my way back from the beach."

I nod my head, "you just happened," I do air quotes when I say happened, "to see him."

"Yes."

I shake my head, crossing my arms across my chest. "Yeah like I believe that."

He rolls his eyes, "look I'm not here to argue with you," he looks at Austin and then back at me, "can we just talk, please?"

"I don't think that's necessary," Austin answers before I can.

Ethan just stares at him, not saying anything.

"It's fine." I put a hand on his arm reassuring him. He looks over at me and I can tell he's trying to tell me no with his eyes. I give him a small smile, hoping it eases him somewhat. He stares at me then over at Ethan, finally he sighs and steps to the side, allowing me to go with Ethan.

I silently thank him as I walk past him. Ethan nods his head at Austin, as if he was giving him thanks too but didn't feel like saying the words.

I follow Ethan out of the building and onto the grass outside it. He turns towards me and rubs a hand on the back of his neck.

"Look, I just wanted..."

"To say you were sorry," I interrupt him. "Yeah I've heard that already, bye Ethan."

I turn to leave but he grabs my arm. "Please, just listen to me."

Silently cursing myself, I turn back around, facing his blue eyes staring into my soul.

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Wow that's really what you're going to start with?" I stare at him in complete disbelief.

"I don't know what you want me to say," he shrugs his shoulders and stares at me.

I look away, shaking my head. Something inside of me snaps. "How about tell me why after every single thing I did for you, you can go and fuck someone else. How about why you led me on for days, making me believe you when you told me you loved me during then. I don't know, how about anything else other than you're sorry because right now I could care less if you're sorry, I want to hear how fucking terrible your life has been since then. How much you regret it, I want to hear how your stupid mistake destroyed your life because trust me it destroyed mine."

"It did destroy my life, I spent months depressed after watching you walk away. Trust me, Alex, if I could go back and change everything I would." He's out of breath and so am I. "Please, I'm begging you to just give me another chance. Just one more chance for me to prove to you that you are the one I want."

I stare at him in complete shock. What am I supposed to say to that? Those are the words I've wanted to hear from him for like forever. I had played different scenarios of what I would do when he said them but nothing could prepare me for it actually happening. Do I take him back? No, of course not, he cheated not me, I can't just forget about that.

"No," is all I can manage to get out.

He looks absolutely heartbroken at my response and some part of me feels remorse but then again this is what I've been playing over and over in my head, the moment I finally got to reject him, to break his heart instead of the other way around.

I leave him standing there on the grass, you no longer matter to me Ethan. At least that's what I thought, little did I know Ethan was about to take me on a whole new rollercoaster of emotions.